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Cleaning Guide for Boat Owners

Jul. 3 2024 Maintenance By Schnelker Marine & Powersports

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Cleaning your boat is an important part of its regular maintenance. A clean boat is both easier to maintain and nicer to use, so it’s essential that you do a thorough job of the task. For tips on how to clean some of the dirtiest areas of your boat, you can take a look at our helpful guide below.

The Bilge

If you have a larger ship it’s likely you have a bilge that will need to be cleaned. We advise starting with this task first as the cleaner will need to sit for quite some time before you can begin cleaning. To start, simply drain the bilge and cover it completely in bilge cleaner. Allow the cleaner to work for as long as the instructions on the bottle recommend. In the meantime feel free to move on to other cleaning tasks. Once the cleaner has done its job, work at leftover stains and grime with a scrub brush before rinsing the bilge.

The Deck

Your deck sees a lot of foot traffic and can get dirty pretty quickly. Thankful, cleaning your deck isn’t too difficult! Simply sweep and spray your deck before applying boat cleaner to the wet surface. Take a long-handled scrub brush and work across your entire deck before spraying the soap and grime away. If you plan on covering your boat after this be sure to let your deck dry completely beforehand. 

Rust Stains

While it’s best to try and prevent rust from forming, it's almost inevitable that a bit of rust will show up somewhere on your ship. The best thing to do is treat this spot before it gets any worse! Whether it’s on your hull, railing, or engine part, you’ll want to take some rust spray and allow it to sit on the spot for as long as the bottle instructs. Afterward, wipe the chemical off the surface with a soft rag. If the rust is still present you may need to scrub it with the rag to remove it completely. 

When you’re ready to buy a new or used boat in Indiana, visit our New Haven boat dealership to see what we have in stock. Schnelker Marine & Powersports is proud to be your local boat sales headquarters, serving our customers in Auburn and Fort Wayne, IN.